Inside Fallout, the Gaming World’s Most Unexpected Television Success

The Fallout TV series is back to streaming services, and it's safe to say that viewers were delightfully shocked by the excellence of its debut season. By illustrating the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the lenses of three separate characters, it succeeded in capturing different facets of the player's adventure.

We followed Lucy the vault dweller, attempting to act with integrity and finding that the wasteland made that very difficult; Max, the Brotherhood of Steel new recruit, who starts doubting his faction's dogma and causes plenty of trouble in mechanized battle suit; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any ethical bearings out in the radioactive badlands.

Setting the Stage for the Second Season

The debut season's finale unveiled a major secret about those responsible for the nuclear war that trapped a society in bomb-proof bunkers for centuries. It also raised numerous mysteries open for the next installment – and, on this occasion, expectations are significantly higher.

“We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” quips Jonah Nolan.

“Heading into the initial season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” adds a key figure from the games. “We are ecstatic with the reception to the show, so now people are arriving with more excitement and different expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment

The second season is located in New Vegas, the setting of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the best writing and characters in the series, despite the fact that it was technically flawed at launch.

“It’s more of a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” explains the co-creator. “That dusty, desolate Route 66 aesthetic of the game is so much rewarding to translate into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a long time has elapsed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists make their way there. Yet, the creators indicate that it acknowledges the player’s journey.

Crafting a Tangible World

The Fallout TV series is notable for its physical authenticity – its creators prioritized physical models and sets were built, echoing the improvised nature of the settlements in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many productions I watch, I’m aware that they’re all standing in front of a digital backdrop,” says co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The key objective of an translation, especially of a interactive medium, is to seem like it’s authentic.”

Indeed, virtually each creature you see on-screen is practical, even the infamously terrifying radioactive creatures known as the apex predators. In the show, they are created using practical effects, and were reportedly rather intimidating up close.

A Labor of Love

The Fallout series succeeds because it is developed by skilled directors who are also passionate gamers, alongside the original creators behind the franchise. This mutual respect for the world is evident in the end result.

The new batch of episodes is debuting on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the first season. This schedule will create a new viewing experience, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are looking forward to witness.

“It has more depth, it’s bigger, it’s more humorous, it has a lot of revelations,” teases the game director. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”